British diplomat: Pakistan’s Zardari has ‘no plans and no strategy,’ won’t last a year
British diplomatic officials don’t exactly mince words about Pakistani President Asif Ali Zardari. From a WikiLeaked U.S. State Department cable sent from the London embassy several days before Zardari — who had replaced his wife, Benazir Bhutto, on the ballot following her assassination the previous year — won Pakistan’s 2008 presidential election: [British Foreign and ...
British diplomatic officials don't exactly mince words about Pakistani President Asif Ali Zardari. From a WikiLeaked U.S. State Department cable sent from the London embassy several days before Zardari -- who had replaced his wife, Benazir Bhutto, on the ballot following her assassination the previous year -- won Pakistan's 2008 presidential election:
British diplomatic officials don’t exactly mince words about Pakistani President Asif Ali Zardari. From a WikiLeaked U.S. State Department cable sent from the London embassy several days before Zardari — who had replaced his wife, Benazir Bhutto, on the ballot following her assassination the previous year — won Pakistan’s 2008 presidential election:
[British Foreign and Commonwealth Office] Pakistan Team Leader Laura Hickey told us September 3 that HMG [the British government] fully expects Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) leader Asif Zardari to win Pakistan’s presidency on September 6, but it is unlikely he will retain the position for long. In HMG estimation, Zardari has no popular support, is strongly disliked within his own party, is not trust-worthy, and is unable to deliver on the countless promises he has recently made to win support in his bid for the presidency. Absent popular support or military backing, Zardari will be unable to hold onto the presidency. HMG projects that he will encumber the top position for six to 12 months, and there will be elections before Zardari completes his term.
The cable goes on to note that "As far as [counterterrorism] and security cooperation are concerned, Zardari is not at odds with UK and U.S. interests. [The British government], however, finds it unlikely that he will be able to deliver because he is an ineffective leader who has ‘no plans and no strategy.’"
Hickey was wrong about Zardari’s longevity — he’s been in office for 29 months and counting — but wasn’t far off the mark on everything else.
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